Machine for stretching or removing fence-wire



W. M. BARGBR/ (No Model.)

MACHINE FOR STRBTGHING 0R REMOVING FBNGE WIRE. No. 520,475.

Patented May 29, 1894.

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MACHINE FOR STRETCHING OR REMOVING FENCE-WIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,475,.dated May 29, 1894.

Application filed July 13, 1893- Serial 110,480,358. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

B e it known that I, WILLIAM M. BARGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Webster Oity,in the county of Hamilton and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Stretching or Removing Fence-Wire; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to a machine for stretching and removing fence wire, and has for its object to provide a simple and eifective means for holding the spool of wire in connect on with a hand Wheel, a flanged hub for receiving the cross bars of the spool and suitable means for holding the wire in the desired position when unwinding from the spool or removing the wire from the fence, and is designed as an improvement upon my ma chine for stretching and removing fence wire patented April 18, 1893, and No.495,873, and it consists in the device hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in .the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1, is a perspective view of a machine embodying my l nprovements in connection with a short section of wire fence. Fig. 2, is a plan view of my improved hub in connection with a hand wheel. Fig. 3, is a perspective, and Fig. 4, is a .plan view of the hub. Fig. 5, is a side view of a slightly modified form of my hub attached to the journal, and Fig. 6, is a plan View of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate correis held in position on the shaft, and has a pawl b. The parts thus far described are similar to those illustrated in my patent hereinbefore named.

E represents a hand wheel the rim of which may be made of gas pipe, or any other suitable sized metal tube. The hub F of the wheel is provided with four arms 6, which are connected to the rim with wrought iron brace rods 0;, extending from the inner adjacent edges of the flanged arms and united at the rim of the wheel, of about one-half inch in diameter. The hub is centrally perforated at f, for the reception of the shaft 0 which is socured thereto in any convenient way. Two of the arms 6, of the hand wheel are provided with flanges g, on their sides, which project from near their ends at right angles to the arms and form recesses a, between them for the reception of two of the cross bars 72., on the end of an ordinary wire spool, as shown in position in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

J represents a hub somewhat similar in construction to that forming part of the wheel E. This hub has preferably flanges g, on each of its four arms, though if desired only two of its arms need be flanged and its holdings made the same as those on the hub F of the wheel, but in such cases the arms that are flanged should be in a position opposite to each other, as should be also the flanged arms on the wheel E, that this strain of the arms in holding the spool may be equalized.

The hub J is provided with a central open ing j, and fits loosely on the shaft 0. This hub has upon one side a reinforced collar portion lo, which is rigidly secured thereto and through which the shaft passes, and a removable pin Z, is inserted through an opening in the collar to hold the hub in a fixed position on the shaft.

As clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the hubs are provided with strengthening ribs or braces G near the hub at the angles formed by the junction of the cross arms H, and this is the construction I prefer, as the braces greatly strengthen the hub when the strain is made upon it in stretching the wire upon the fence, though in some classes of light work these braces may be omitted as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

I represents a supporting base having mounted thereon two standards m, which support a shaft n, carrying a portable roller K preferably made of cast metal. The object of this roller is to support the wire at different heights along the line of fence and keep it ofi the ground when the fence is being taken down and the wire wound on the spool. Placing these rollers at different points along the fence, I have found highly beneficial in rewinding the Wire, as when the wire is drawn along on the ground the knots made by joining pieces of the wire together and the barbs on the wire become entangled in the grass, brush or other substances usually found along the line of fence, and thus render the operation of winding slow and very difficult; but with this improved means the wire is easily drawn over the roller and wound upon the spool without exerting an unusual amount of strength by the operator. An adustable metal pulley or sheaf L is attached to one end of the base A for the purpose of keeping the lower wire upon the proper plane as it is drawn from the spool in building the fence, and to keep it in proper position against the fence posts until it is secured.

In operation the hub J and hand wheel E are used when the wire is being wound up, or when it is necessary to stretch the wire along the line of fence. The cross bars at one end of the spool of wire are pushed into the recesses 2', of the flanged arms of the hand wheel, and the hub J is then pushed up against the opposite end of the spool until the cross bars enter between the flanges g, when the hub J is secured in position by means of the pin Z, which is passed through the reinforced collar portion of the hub into the shaft. The shaft 0, hand Wheel E, hub J, and spool D, Wlll now be locked to turn together. When it is desired to unwind the wire from the spool the hub is released from its rigid attachment to the shaft by removing the pin Z,

when the hub'is drawn back from the spool and the spool is then disengaged from the flanges g, of the hand wheel.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. A machine for stretching and rewinding fence Wire having in combination with a shaft supporting a spool of wire, a hand wheel secured to the shaft having flanged arms projecting from the hub of the wheel to receive the cross bars of the wire spool, said arms having braces between them, and their outer ends connected with the rim of the wheel by rods extending from the sides of their outer ends, and a movable hub with flanged arms to engage the opposite end-of the spool, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A machine for stretching and rewinding fence Wire having in combination with a shaft supporting a spool of wire, a hand wheel secured on the shaft having flanged arms projecting from its hub to receive the cross bars of the Wire spool, and braces between said arms near the hub, the outer ends of the flanged arms being connected with the rim of the wheel by brace rods extending from the inner adjacent edges of the arms and united at the rim of the wheel, and a movable hub having flanged arms to engage the opposite end of the spool, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afflx my signature in 

